Considerations When Leasing Warehouse Space

There are a lot of different types of industrial space. Although not glamorous or exciting, storage and/or distribution facility can be quite lucrative. As you begin to research and look for warehouse space think of the below tips. Hopefully these will give you the best foundation to find and lease the perfect space for your needs. When looking for the right commercial real estate space, the list of “wants” is usually pretty easy to come up with. When searching for warehouse space there should always be this short list of needs that you know the answer to. Will the warehouse be used for working or storage? Or both? If there will be employees present, that changes the amenities you will need, such as, parking and restrooms. How often, and by what means, do you plan on receiving shipments and deliveries? When you are looking for locations this is an important one to know as you may need to be near major highways/interstates or even may need a dock. Pay close attention to the height of doorways as they pertain to your deliveries. How much space do you really need? This may seem like a very obvious question, but we often see clients looking for warehouse space, who think they have an accurate idea of the square footage they need, but when we break it all down and see the space they are pretty far off. Leases are long, leases are complicated and leases often contain a lot of jargon that you might not understand. While it’s important to know about all clauses and articles of a lease, we have outlined below the questions we hear most often. Are there addition fees or expenses? Always ask about maintenance fees. Are you responsible for inside? Outside? Both? Never assume the owner will be paying those for the property. Also make sure to ask about the utilities. How is the usage assessed? Will you be responsible for upkeep maintenance and repairs? Make sure to specify these with the landlord/owner and have them provide an estimate of what the costs would average each month. What is the nature of the land use? Is the use your business needs consistent with use of the land? Make sure that is stated in the lease. Before you even begin your search for warehouse space, ESPECIALLY before you sign on the dotted line, you should always seek out the assistance of a professional commercial real estate broker